Love or Law?
by WindSongEnchantment
Summary: What would happen if Shang found out that Mulan was a girl before the battle in the mountains? Would he follow the law and reveal her for who she truly is or would he allow her to continue her training as a soldier and hope that she makes it through the war undiscovered? Will he listen to honor or to his heart?
1. Chapter 1

** This is my very first fan-fiction ever! Please enjoy!**

Li Shang ran a hand over his face, exhausted. It had been another long day. Shang had decided to try and train the men using staffs. Ping had apparently recognized the weapon and had either gotten a little over exuberant or had decided to show off his skill. He single-handedly managed to knock every single man down to the ground, even having the gall to whack his General. Shang had momentarily had the breath knocked out of him before he was able to seize the staff from Ping. He had just come back from assigning Ping his disciplinary action; he was to sand down all the staffs and rid them of any dents and marks they had acquired during the day's training.

Looking back, Shang remembered the very first day of training, if you could call it training. His men had gotten into a brawl before he had even gotten a chance to meet them. Well, he had at least gotten to know Ping. That boy's first impression had not been a pretty one to his general. Smaller in build than any other man there, they had all pointed at Ping and blamed him for starting the brawl. In order to prove himself, Ping had put on a very false bravado of manliness, even trying to spit vulgarly. It had taken all of Shang's iron self-control not to burst out laughing at the ridiculous show. Instead he had ordered that their first day of training be spent picking up every single grain of rice that had been spilt in their petty fight. Shang had sat outside his tent, carefully sharpening his sword to a razor edge, and watched as the men scrambled about on their hands and knees with baskets, searching the dirt and grass for rice. He had noted those men who acted bitterly and those who took it in stride; he had kept a very close eye on Ping and his reactions.

Ping had humbly accepted the punishment and had worked twice as fast with his small, nimble fingers but the other men had taken their revenge in small ways. They would trip the boy as he stood to run his basket to where the rice was all being gathered. If he came too close to one of the men he would get an elbow in the ribs or a cuff over the head. One gangly, young man named Ling had a nasty habit of subtly tipping Ping's basket of rice so the grains would spill back onto the ground and give Ping more work.

Shang had decided that he would not put up with that sort of bullying in his camp and he hadn't. He smiled to remember the almost impossible task he had come up with for the second day. To reach an arrow at the top of a 40 foot post carrying two weights. Shang rolled over in his tent, chuckling as he remembered the many failed attempts on that day and the ensuing annoyance that they had all felt, making them comrades against a common enemy. An arrow in a post.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Hope you enjoyed chapter one of this story. I forgot to say that I do not own Mulan or any of the characters; just my own silly ideas. Special thanks goes out to my first ever reviewer Fangurl! Thank you everyone for your support! I plan on updating once a week, hopefully I can keep up with that schedule. If I come up with something I love before my deadline, I'll post it early. Like with this one. Without further ado, I now present to you Chapter 2!**

A month later found the General sitting on a hilltop near camp. He eyed the silhouette of the arrow in the post with distaste. It seemed to represent all the progress that he had made with his men, which was none. Shang didn't know what to think. He had done his absolute best with these men, gone through all the steps that his father had gone through with his training, but they weren't responding favorably. Chien-Po still couldn't swim, Yao still could not make it through the flaming arrows, Ling was still at the extreme basics of martial arts and the list just kept going. It seemed that all of the men had at least one thing that they failed miserably at and were barely above mediocre with everything else Shang tried to teach them.

Worst of all was Ping. Shang had hoped that the boy; who had seemed like such a hard-working, humble person; would show a glimmer of the talent that his honorable father had had on the field, with the proper training. Especially after that day with the staff. Instead, the boy seemed to fail at everything he set his mind to and when he began to fail too often for his liking he took to trying to cheat. Take archery training for example, instead of honestly admitting he couldn't hit the tomato in the air he stuck the tomato onto the arrow before shooting it. He couldn't stand up for himself in a fight, he couldn't keep up during their daily run, he couldn't shoot a bow or handle a sword, he couldn't even aim his cannon correctly! This particular failing had resulted in several burned down tents, including Chi-Fu's, which was not a pretty sight and had resulted in a particularly bitter report to the Emperor.

Shang couldn't understand how the son of the honorable Fa Zhou was doing so poorly. Surely Fa Zhou had given his son basic survival training! But no, the boy couldn't even strike his flint properly when he first came to training. Perhaps Ping had not been the eldest son and so had not been trained as Fa Zhou's eventual successor would have been. Perhaps the boy's older brother had passed away recently and then the conscript had come, forcing Fa Zhou to send his youngest son into the army without proper training.

It was a stretch but what other explanation was there? Whatever the reason Fa Zhou had for sending this boy, he must have known that Ping would not make it through the training. It would not necessarily be dishonorable, then, to send the boy home if his father was expecting it. Shang could not train the boy and he refused to send him to his death by allowing him to march with the army.

With his mind made up, Shang stood and descended the hill where he had been sitting and entered the camp. Most of the men were asleep and those who weren't knew to stay clear and not ask questions as Shang led Ping's horse through the camp. Hell, even the boy's horse had more talent and knew more about war than he did. Shang had run the beast through his paces to see if the animal was worth keeping in camp or if he should just send it back to Fa Zhou. It had been clear that the horse had had battle training. Perhaps the beast had belonged to Ping's father or deceased older brother.

Shang saw Ping wandering through the camp, probably heading back to his tent. He was shuffling his feet in exhaustion and rubbing at sore muscles in his arm. Shang's heart went out to the boy. He was so small and Shang had pushed him so hard to try and turn him into a warrior. The sight only furthered Shang's determination to keep him out of the upcoming war. He would not have the boy's death on his conscious.

As they drew near to each other, Shang hardened his heart and resolve and spoke the words he knew would break Ping's confidence forever.

"Pack up. Go home. You're through."

The boy's face showed disbelief and hurt, then it hardened into a prideful glare. Ping had spirit, pride and honor but he did not have the skill and strength it took to survive a war. Even though Ping didn't want to admit it, he himself knew it to be true. Without another word Shang turned and walked away, leaving the boy to his own devices.

**Dun-dun-duuun. What will Ping do now?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you everyone for your support! I think I'm gonna stick to posting chapters on Wednesdays. They're my least crazy day :)**

Shang woke to the sound of cheering. He had spent a lot of the night before agonizing over his decision about Ping and was not in the best of moods. Grumbling to himself, he stood, hastily pulled his hair back, and exited his tent, not caring what the men thought of his sleepy appearance. _Whiz, Thunk! _Shang stared in shock at the arrow that had just landed between his feet. Was his camp being attacked? No, when he looked closer he saw that the arrow was one of his own.

His men were crowded around the base of the post. Was that where the arrow had come from? Had someone finally managed to climb the post and retrieve that thrice cursed arrow? Striding forward, Shang shielded his eyes from the morning sun and stared intently at the man sitting atop the post, undeniable proof that he had succeeded. He shifted his stance so he was not staring directly into the light and finally the man's face became clear.

Ping! Of all the men he had expected to see, Ping was the last. The boy stared down at him with a small smile of satisfaction on his face. There was a challenge in the set of his chin and a calm confidence in his bearing. He had done what none of the bigger, older men could do. He had retrieved the arrow! Shang allowed himself to return the smile and nodded in acquiesce. Ping had earned his right to stay with the army, for now.

If this feat could boost his confidence in other areas perhaps his training might improve. Shang would give the boy one more chance.

Ping's smile widened at his General's unspoken agreement. He could stay!

**I know this chapter is shorter than the others so please forgive me! Even though this scene doesn't add a lot to the story I'm trying to create, it's one of my favorite scenes from the movie and I just couldn't leave it out. I promise the next chapter will be longer so stay with me and ride out the hurricane!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, hello! Back again with the latest and greatest (possibly). I'm sorry this is taking a little longer than most to get to the "good stuff" but I like to set my stories up a little before diving into the climax. Not to worry, though, I'm on a roll and I don't plan on stopping or slowing! Big thanks goes out to all my wonderful reviewers and followers for sticking with me! You guys are the greatest! ****J**

With an "oomph" Shang found himself flat on his back in the dirt. Rubbing his chin ruefully he grinned up at the boy who was standing over him, holding out his hand to assist Shang to his feet. Ever since reaching the arrow, Ping had steadily improved in his training. He could now hit his target with his bow, use his staff with proficiency, aim his cannon correctly, and keep up during their daily run. Now Ping had proven himself to be a worthy adversary in mixed martial arts as well. He was extraordinarily fast and stronger than he looked, making him easy to underestimate.

Shang took the boy's hand and surged to his feet, still grinning.

"That was an excellent kick." He praised.

The boy blushed slightly and murmured, "Thank you, Sir." He looked down at his shuffling feet then glanced back up and returned his General's grin, "You're not so bad yourself." He joked.

Shang laughed and ruffled the boy's hair roughly. Ping tried to duck away but Shang pulled him into a headlock and marched him back to the encampment for dinner. He, like most of the men, liked to treat Ping as the younger brother he never had; teasing him and playfully shoving him around. Of course he never forgot their more important relationship as General and Soldier; when he gave an order he expected it to be obeyed; but it was good to lighten up and have a little fun as well.

Ping wasn't the only one who had improved dramatically. It seemed that his success boosted the confidence of all the men. If, after all, the youngest and seemingly weakest could do it, so could they. Ping had become closest to three of the other soldiers who had also been struggling; Chien-Po, Yao, and Ling. Together those four were a formidable force.

Shang was proud of all his men. They had finally completed their training. He decided he would give the men an early night and give them a chance to relax. Maybe he would join them later for a swim in the small lake nearby.

After Ping had retrieved the arrow from the post, Shang had decided it would be a good time to move the camp south to hold off the oncoming chill of winter for as long as possible. This also gave them more time to refine their skills without fighting the snow and cold as well. Now it was time to move again and join the rest of the army in defending the Tun-shou Pass. All he had to do now was tackle the problem that was Chi-fu.

**I'm building up to something big here! I won't say anything more. Don't want to spoil the surprise ;) Please let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Sorry I was a little late getting this one out there, I just had to make sure it was perfect and of course life has a way of getting crazy right when you need it to remain calm. :P Once again thank you for all your reviews, follows, favorites, likes, thoughts etc.! This has been such an amazing experience and it's just going to get better from here. I had A LOT of fun writing this chapter and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!**

After eating dinner, Shang still did not know how to defend himself and his men against Chi-fu's sharp tongue. He wasn't sure how he was going to convince the stubborn mule of a man that they were ready to join his father. According to that stickler's reports, the men that he had worked so hard to train and turn into a formidable army were no more than helpless children playing with dangerous weapons they didn't know how to use. If Shang's father were here and saw how that man was treating his son with blatant disrespect, there would be hell to pay. But Shang's father wasn't here and Shang refused to wield his father's reputation like a sword and mow down any resistance before him. He had seen other men do the same thing and had seen how no one truly had any respect for them, only resentment and fear. Shang refused to be one of those men.

Of course none of that helped him figure out what he was going to say to convince Chi-fu! He had spent the last hour or so pacing agitatedly in his tent and was still no closer to coming up with what he needed to say. Yes, he was the General and his word should be law in his camp, but Chi-fu had the backing and blessing of the Emperor and was not afraid to wield that power with a vengeance when it came down to it. Rubbing his forehead in aggravation, Shang decided that what he needed was some fresh air; perhaps he would take that swim now.

He quickly threw on his robe, grabbed his soap, and strode down to the lake barefoot; not even bothering to tie his long hair back. He was just going to strip at the lake anyway, so there wasn't a need for propriety of appearance now. No sounds came from the lake but it was still fairly early, the last rays of the sun were just disappearing from the sky. When he reached the shore he stepped into the surrounding reeds to give himself at least the illusion of privacy as he undressed, wet his soap down, and began to lather it over his body.

He was just about to step out into the lake to rinse off the soap and enjoy the cool water when he heard a voice. He stayed where he was in the reeds, crouched slightly so as to stay better hidden. The voice came again sounding closer and, oddly feminine?

What was a young woman doing out by herself so late at night? Shang didn't think there was a village nearby. The person finally came into view and Shang was surprised to see Ping leading his horse down to the water. Now it made sense, Ping's voice had yet to deepen and so, due to its higher pitch, Shang had automatically thought it was female.

The boy was talking to himself as he patted his horse down, scooping water up from the lake in his hands and splashing the beast. After the horse was thoroughly rubbed down, Ping stepped to the far side of the horse and Shang saw the boy's clothes fall to the ground. Over the horse's back, Ping's head and bare shoulders were visible as he pulled his hair down from its topknot. He spoke as he wrapped the ribbon into a neat roll around his fingers.

"Just because I look like a man, doesn't mean I have to smell like one."

Shang bit back a bark of laughter. Ping was the furthest thing from manly that he could see. It fit the boy's personality to be particular about his personal hygiene; unlike some of the other men who were starting to stink to high heaven. Although the fact that the boy was speaking to himself out loud was a little worrisome. Had he lost his sanity somewhere along the way during training? It wasn't unheard of.

"Mushu, if you're so worried go stand watch!"

Who in the world was the boy talking to? Could he be talking to the horse? Shang couldn't remember the beast's name. He thought it had started with a 'K', though. Shang's soap suddenly slipped through his hand and fell into the mud at his feet. With a muttered curse he bent and picked it up, trying to save as much as he could from the dirt. When he was standing once more, Ping was swimming in the lake.

Shang had just decided to join him, and finally wash off the soap he was covered in, when he heard loud whooping and yelling coming from the direction of the camp. Ping heard it too. The boy stood and spun around in surprise, before ducking into the water.

Shang felt as if a horse had kicked him in the gut. All the air left his lungs and he felt the blood drain from his face.

**And there is the inevitable cliff hanger. Every story has to have at least one, right? lol**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know after that dreadful cliffhanger you are all dying to discover what Shang saw ;) So I won't make you wait any longer! Ladies and Gentlemen it is my great honor to present to you the long awaited…CHAPTER 6!**

Shang could only stare in shock as Ping desperately grabbed a lily pad for camouflage. He could not have seen what he had just seen. It just couldn't be possible. Even as he tried to deny it, Shang knew there was no use lying to himself. That had been no hallucination.

"Hey Ping!"

Shang cursed. He had completely forgotten about the other men who had come down to the lake. Ping was in the process of trying to hide behind a rock when they approached. Shang's hands balled into fists as he watched, unsure if he should intervene. He had no idea what he could do to help, or why he even wanted to help. He should feel betrayed and angry. Shang had taken the youth under his wing, put all he had into training him, even begun to like and trust the boy he thought he had come to know so well.

Only now, Shang didn't know. How were you supposed to react when you found out that the boy you treated like a younger brother was not even a boy at all? The girl was trying to keep herself covered while remaining as casual as possible. She had deepened her voice to sound more like a male, but it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.

"And I am Yao! King of the rock! And there's nothin you boys can do about it!"

Despite how dire the situation was, Shang almost laughed as he watched the girl discreetly cover her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at Yao's nudity as he stood confidently on a rock. He wondered how Yao would react if he realized he had so blatantly revealed himself to a young girl.

Shang's attention was drawn back to the group in the water as the girl tried to make her escape only to be cornered by Ling as he tried to get her to fight Yao with him. When Ling started tugging on her arm, Shang had to quell a very strong urge to march out there and deck the idiot. He had actually taken his first step out of the reeds when Ling suddenly screamed, "SNAKE!"

All three men yelled and ran through the water towards the nearest rock. The girl, on the other hand, let out a piercing whistle. Her horse galloped into the water to her and the girl quickly grabbed the blanket draped over the beast's back to cover herself as she stepped out of the water, using the horse's bulk to shield her identity as well.

Shang still couldn't wrap his mind around it. Ping was a girl. A GIRL! What was a female doing in his army? How could she do this to herself and to him? What was he supposed to do now that he knew? The law stated that she must die. Shang automatically baulked at the thought. He had grown to like the boy he had trained. He admired the girl for her strength and determination, even as he felt anger at her for betraying him and his men in the worst possible way. Ping, if that was even her name, had proven herself over and over again in training. She worked harder than most men to earn her right to stay and yet, because she was female, what she did was viewed as a crime.

Shang knew what his response should be. He knew what he had to do. He had never broken the law or any protocol in his life. It was what had gotten him so far, so fast in life. So why was he contemplating going against everything he knew, everything he was, for one girl? Why was he even weighing the risks and punishments he knew would occur if he kept her identity secret? If she was discovered and word somehow got out that he had known, it would not just be her death he would be facing; it would be his own.

He couldn't make this decision on his own. He needed another to discuss this with. If his father were in camp he would not hesitate to go to him. His father had always been fair and just. Perhaps he would find a way to quietly confront the girl and then dispel her from the camp in a way that would not dishonor her or lead to her death. But the great general wasn't here. This decision was up to Shang and Shang alone. However, he might be able to get some advice on the subject from someone who had the trust of the Emperor himself.

**Now who could that be I wonder? Guess we'll just have to wait and see! ****_Mwah ha ha ha ha!_**

**(Is that how you type evil laughter? *shrug* I'm sure you get the idea!)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry I was severely late getting this one out there. My writing schedule may not look much like a schedule anymore in the upcoming weeks due to a family emergency.**

**I will try my best and persevere,**

**however grim future storms may appear.**

**My apologies, I tend to wax towards poetic**

**When faced with adversaries I can't predict.**

**I'm a little rusty with my poetry, but that wasn't too bad, right?...maybe?...Ahem, Anyway!**

**This chapter felt like it was wrestling with me the whole time I was writing it. It was a tough one but I think I beat it into submission! Lol. Let me know what you think! Thanks again for all your support!**

Having made up his mind, Shang quickly marched into the shallows of the lake and efficiently finished washing. Afterwards he threw on his pants and robe and headed back to camp, tying his hair up and out of his way as he went.

He wasn't entirely sure how he was going to approach Chi-fu in this matter but he knew it was essential for him to do so quickly. Should he treat the issue just as a question asked out of curiosity, pretending it was a fake scenario that he wanted to be prepared for none-the-less? Or should he come right out with the truth? Still unsure, he found himself pacing hesitantly outside Chi-fu's tent.

"I can hear you pacing out there, Captain. Come in before you create a crater outside my tent!" That annoying voice hollered.

Squaring his shoulders in determination, Shang strode through the tent flap, bending slightly to get through. Chi-fu was waiting for him at his desk. He was finishing up what Shang assumed was yet another report. Without even looking at the young man, Chi-fu flapped his hand at a nearby stool saying imperiously, "Sit."

Hoping to get on the man's good side; if he had one that is; Shang sat quietly and patiently waited for Chi-fu to finish. The man was purposely trying to test his patience by drawing this out for as long as possible but Shang was having none of it. He sat and stared at Chi-fu blankly, knowing that it would unnerve the man.

He was right, within a couple minutes Chi-fu began to squirm and threw a couple of angry glances at Shang. Finally he threw down his writing brush and gave Shang his full attention.

"I know what you're here to discuss, Captain."

"Do you?" Shang asked, surprised. Did Chi-fu already know about the girl? Why hadn't he come forward with the information? Maybe the man had already come up with a solution for the problem.

"You have come to try and convince me that your men are now soldiers, haven't you!" Chi-fu hopped to his feet and pointed an accusatory finger in Shang's face.

Taken aback, Shang could only nod in reply. He had become so distracted by the girl that he had completely forgotten about the problem he had originally been trying to solve.

"You think your troops are ready to fight!? Ha! They wouldn't last a minute against the Huns!" Chi-fu screeched

"They've completed their training." Shang stated, knowing he had come into this particular battle unprepared but willing to try and fight it out anyway.

"Those _boys_ are no more fit to be soldiers than you are to be Captain! Once the General reads my report, your troops will never see battle!" Chi-fu crowed triumphantly.

Chi-fu's jab roused Shang's anger and he found himself reaching for the man, ready to strangle the fool, but stopped himself by grabbing the writing board instead. "We're not finished." He growled out.

Chi-fu narrowed his eyes at him and stated calmly, "Be careful, Captain. The General may be your father but _I _am the Emperor's Counsel. Oh, and by the way, I got that job on my own. You're dismissed!" He finished imperially as he held aside the tent flap to show Shang the way out.

Barely holding his temper in check Shang strode out of the tent only to see the very person he had wanted to avoid at all costs.

"Hey! I'll hold him and you punch!"

Shang barely registered what the girl said, he just knew he couldn't look at her. If he did it would bring back memories that were the furthest thing from honorable. After all, he had _seen_ her. Only her husband should see what he had seen. He blushed as his thoughts took him in the direction he was trying desperately to avoid. He quickly marched past her, hoping the darkness hid his face from her view.

"Or not." He heard her mutter behind him. Shang wished that would be the end of it but he knew Ping, the boy was a little chatter box once he warmed up to you, just because the boy was now a girl in his eyes didn't suddenly change her behavior. Now she was probably wondering what she had done to upset him. Sure enough, her clear voice rang out once more from behind him.

"For what it's worth! I think you're a great Captain!" Shang paused; those hadn't been the words he was expecting. He had been ready for questions that he would not answer, accusations he would have to walk away from. This girl continued to surprise him. She had done nothing but offer him her support even when he had shunned her for no apparent reason.

Keeping his gaze carefully fixed away from her, he turned his head and nodded slightly, hoping to show that he acknowledged her words and appreciated them. He was still angry with her for her deceitfulness but now was not the time to be petty, especially since she didn't know that he knew her secret.

Turning away from her once again, he made his way through camp towards the relative privacy of his tent. He could lose his composure once he was there and away from prying eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys. Been a while. Sorry bout that. Family stuff. Holiday fun. Anyway, here's the latest! Hope you like it! **

An hour later found Shang pacing agitatedly once again. It was becoming a habit of his. The worn spot on the ground within his tent was testimony to this. No matter how fast or how far he paced, though, the problem was still there; circling in his mind again and again and again were the same questions. Why did she? How did she? And more importantly, what should he do?

Shang now knew that it would be incredibly dangerous to approach Chi-fu with this matter. The man was arrogant, well-connected, and a stickler when it came to rules. If he ever discovered that Ping was a girl he would demand her immediate execution and Shang would have to follow through; even if he told himself over and over that he could not allow that to happen.

He still couldn't figure out why he felt so strongly about this matter. If someone had asked for his opinion about this subject as a non-objective 3rd party before he knew about Ping, his answer would have been the same as Chi-fu's. Now however, he had a face to put on the betrayer and he found himself unwilling to follow the laws that had governed the land long before his birth.

Every time he even contemplated the idea of the execution he flinched. To picture the look on Ping's face as his sword swept down towards her exposed throat made him feel sick. He knew that he could never face living with that. His conscious would not allow him to.

Then there were the other thoughts that kept invading his mind. The ones he was desperately trying to push away. When he allowed his thoughts to wander away from the problem itself they always began to replay the moment he found out about her. He could still see her rising from the dark water, the silver light from the moon illuminating her skin, seeming to emphasize its soft whiteness. Her hair dark as midnight and dripping droplets of silver water across her collarbone and further down her body. Her gentle curves had been completely bared to him in a moment of intimacy that he wanted to relive again and again. The picture in his mind made him long for something he knew he could never have.

Shaking his head and growling in frustration, he quickly sat and rested his face in his hands. He needed to redirect his thoughts to something else, anything else. He couldn't be thinking of such dishonorable things. What would his father do if he knew his son was thinking such thoughts about a criminal, even if she was a beautiful woman?

"Captain! Urgent news from the General!" Chi-fu burst through the entrance of Shang's tent trumpeting his announcement and waving a roll of parchment around wildly. "We're needed at the fight!"

Shang didn't need to hear anymore. Either Chi-fu had seen the light and had written the letter himself to give him an excuse for going against what he had originally declared, or Shang's ancestors had finally decided to answer his prayers; Shang didn't care. This was exactly the kind of distraction that he had needed and in a flash of inspiration he came up with a plan to try and give Ping an honorable way out of the army and the encroaching war.

Even though he felt happy that he had finally thought of something, for some reason his heart ached with the thought of having to see the girl leave. Shang didn't allow himself to dwell on it though. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer that he would come up with to explain the odd symptom.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everyone, I'm so sorry for the long wait. I want to thank you all for you're up-building reviews, they really helped get me back on track! Thank you so much for following or favoriting this story of mine. I cannot believe that we have made it this far! This chapter is quite long, a gift to make up for how much time has passed since the last time I updated. I hope you like it!**

The next morning found the camp buzzing with activity. News had traveled fast and everyone was working together to strike the camp and load everything into wagons. It was a long, tedious process. All the canons had to be stacked neatly with padding around each one to avoid jostling or friction with another cannon. If even one canon lit it could set off a train reaction with massive repercussions.

Then there were the tents and other weapons. Shang's father had always insisted that these be split up between two or three different wagons so that if one wagon was lost they would still have enough tents to share among the men. Shang fully agreed with this.

Of course there was also the food. Each man's pack held three days of rations for emergencies and then yet another wagon held the rest. Water and food for the horses wouldn't be too difficult to find along the route that Shang had planned out with Chi-fu the night before. With any luck, Shang calculated that it would take them three days to reach his father and the rest of the army.

As Shang marched through what remained of his camp he couldn't help but be proud of his men. It had taken a lot of hard work to get them to where they were today. They were efficient, hard workers who respected themselves and respected each other. They were men he would gladly fight alongside and each one could now make the claim that they had brought honor to their families and their country. To put it plainly, they were now an army in every sense of the word. There was just one problem nagging at the back of Shang's mind.

He found the source of that problem loading baskets of food into its wagon. Ping. He knew what he had to do but he knew that he wouldn't enjoy a moment of it. Heart in his throat he approached the girl. When she didn't notice him he cleared his throat roughly.

"Ahem..hem."

Ping spun around quickly, nearly spilling the food she was carrying.

"Captain! I'm sorry, sir. I didn't see you. Um…that is I didn't notice you, um...Not that your presence isn't very commanding or anything, um.."

Shang almost laughed at her flustered response and Ping must have seen his lips twitch as he tried to keep a straight face because her eyes narrowed slightly and she quickly regained control of her stuttering.

"Sir! Was there something you needed, Sir?" And just like that, Shang was looking at the perfect soldier. Her face was calm and collected but serious and attentive. She held herself carefully at attention and stared straight ahead, ready to receive her orders.

"At ease." He stated. She relaxed slightly and turned her head to meet his eyes. "I would like to speak with you in private about something, Ping."

As he finished speaking the girl's eyes shifted away from his face to look at the ground, her cheeks flushed slightly pink, and she started rubbing the toe of one shoe into the dirt.

"Captain, if it's about what I said last night I know I was out of line and I'm so sorry. I promise it won't happen again. I was just trying to make you smile."

"Actually, Ping, I'm happy that you said what you did last night. It reminded me of something important."

"What is that, Sir?"

"Come with me and I'll tell you."

With that Shang walked away back through the camp. He didn't look to see if Ping was following him, he didn't have to. Even with all the chaos in the camp right then, he swore he could hear her soft footsteps behind him. He led her to his tent and opened the flap for her to enter before him.

"Captain?" Ping asked curiously once the entrance was secured and they had as much privacy as Shang could afford them.

Shang took a seat on the floor behind his writing table and gestured for Ping to sit across from him. The girl did so, lowering herself with unconscious grace to her knees, her hands folded serenely in her lap. It made Shang's mouth go dry and made him wonder how he had not noticed the little things she did that pointed to the fact that she was indeed a female.

After a moment, she seemed to notice what she had done wrong. Her cheeks flamed for a moment before she readjusted herself so she was seated cross-legged like he was, like how any man would be.

"Captain, you were going to tell me what my words reminded you of?" She inquired, her cheeks still a tad pink. Instead of answering her right away, Shang asked, "Ping, how old are you?"

"Sixteen, Sir. May I ask why this is important?"

"Ping, you are only sixteen. You're still just a boy in some ways. Your voice hasn't deepened, you grow no hair on your face."

"Captain, I am a man! A boy is considered to be a man when he turns sixteen! So what if my body has yet to catch up! Society states that I am a man!" Ping answered vehemently then he paused, "I'm sorry, Sir. I was out of line but why does any of this matter? Why bring this up now?"

Shang paused to collect his thoughts. "Ping you are the youngest one here. All the other men are quite a bit older than you. Even I have four years on you. To be honest, I think you are too young to be in the army."

"What!?"

"You know that we march out to join my father's army today. When we get there, we won't know what is waiting for us. We may have to join into the fight. We could be incredibly outnumbered. As one of the smallest and youngest looking soldiers, you will be an easy target for any of the Huns."

"They will be in for a rude awakening, then." Ping answered with a grin.

"You've never seen a Hun before, have you?" Ping shook her head slowly, not sure where this was going.

"For one thing, the majority of Huns are very large men. They stand taller than me and are twice as wide. They train for war their whole lives. Even their women are known to be fierce warriors. They are a violent and barbaric race. Their whole body is wrapped in muscle. In order to become a man in their society you have to kill a wolf, a bear, or a wild boar with your bare hands. Picture a man like that in your mind." Shang paused as Ping's face went thoughtful, "Now imagine facing a thousand men like that." He watched the girl's face as it paled slightly, but he also saw her lips tighten in determination. He knew what she was going to say.

"Even if I have to face a thousand of those men by myself, I will do so. I have worked so hard to be where I am. Are you saying that all of that training was for nothing? Were you planning on sending me home anyway? Why did you let me stay if you were just going to send me away? Why let me get a taste of what it feels like to be good at something, then tell me it was all for nothing? I have never been good at anything before. Back home I am a disgrace to my father, I dishonor him every day. I thought that if I worked hard enough here, if I got good enough, I would be able to go home after the war with my head held high knowing that I brought honor to his name. Knowing that I belonged somewhere." Ping paused and swiped angrily at her face but not before Shang saw the glisten of tears in the girl's eyes. His heart lurched at the sight and he had to hold himself back from trying to comfort her; although he had no idea how you went about comforting a crying girl who was disguised as a boy. Before he could do or say anything though Ping suddenly looked up at him with a glare.

"I refuse to go home! I _will_ fight in the war. You will have to kill me to stop me!" With that the girl stood and strode angrily from the tent, leaving Shang speechless. He didn't know if he was angry, amused or just plain shocked; it was probably a combination of all three.


End file.
